1. Field of the Invention
The invention is concerned with glassy alloys and, more particularly, with beryllium additions to iron-boron glassy alloys.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Binary iron-boron glassy alloys consisting of about 15 to 25 atom percent boron, balance iron, have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,036,638, issued July 19, 1977, as having improved mechanical thermal and magnetic properties over prior art glassy alloys. For example, these alloys evidence ultimate tensile strengths approaching 600,000 psi, hardness values approaching 1300 Kg/mm.sup.2, crystallization temperatures (measured by differential thermal analysis) of about 475.degree. C. (748.degree. K.), room temperature saturation magnetizations of about 170 emu/g, coercivities of about 0.08 Oe and Curie temperatures of about 375.degree. C. (648.degree. K.).
Attempts have been made to increase the thermal stability of iron-boron glassy alloys without reducing the saturation magnetization. However, many elements which are found to increase the thermal stability, such as molybdenum, result in a substantial reduction in saturation magnetization and an insufficient reduction in saturation magnetostriction, which may be unacceptable for some applications.